It is often desirable to provide a surface on which microorganisms, many of which are potentially harmful, are inhibited from growing. Many useful materials have surfaces that do not normally inhibit the growth of microorganisms. One useful way to improve the microorganism inhibition of a surface is to coat that surface with a coating that provides a microorganism-inhibiting effect.
One common method of coating a surface is to apply a layer of a liquid coating composition to that surface and then dry the layer or allow the layer to dry. It is desirable that such liquid coating compositions are clear and remain stable during storage. It is also desirable that such liquid coating compositions spread evenly when applied to a hard, flat surface.
It is desirable that such coatings, when dry, have one or more of the following desirable properties: clarity, non-tackiness; durability; removability; and ability to maintain microorganism-inhibition under normal use for an extended period of time (for example, 24 hours or longer) after application to a surface.
One approach to providing a microorganism-inhibiting coating is disclosed by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/584,324, which describes coating compositions that contain microbicide, solvent, and polymer. The polymer described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/584,324 contains, as polymerized units, one or more monomer with a pendant heterocycle. Such monomer can be expensive to manufacture and to purchase. It is desired to provide microbicidal coatings that have one or more of the above properties and that are made from monomers that include acrylamide.